Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce is an easy crock pot recipe that's hearty and delicious. This slow cooker beef recipe will become your new go-to!
When morning walks start requiring a hoodie, neighborhood trees begin to change color, and Halloween candy starts appearing on grocery store shelves — I know crock pot season has officially arrived!
Not to say you can’t use a crock pot in the summertime – I mean it’s perfect in that it doesn’t heat up the house – but I usually associate crock pots with a warm and hearty dinner, like Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce, which goes much better with the cooler temps that are inevitably heading our way.
We had “spaghetti night” every Monday when I was growing up, and this yummy tomato sauce simmered with herbs and ground beef all day totally took me back.
Except now I’m not 12, kicking my brother under the table, and getting told NOBODY IS EXCUSED UNTIL THEIR PLATE IS LICKED CLEAN! INCLUDING YOUR WARM MILK!
Now, normally I skip over crock pot recipes that require cooking outside the CP, but I made an exception for this spaghetti sauce. After all, it’s just browning 1lb ground beef in a skillet before draining and adding it to the crock pot with 1 medium onion.
To the beef and onion, add 28oz crushed tomatoes, 8oz tomato sauce, and 6oz tomato paste, which will cook down to create a fabulously rich and luscious tomato sauce.
Finally, add zee spices that will flavor the sauce: 2 teaspoons each dried oregano and basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme,
2 small bay leaves, 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, and 3/4 teaspoons salt.
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a spicy kick (or leave it out – totally your call!) followed by 3 minced garlic cloves.
Mix everything up – then set it, and forget it, baby! That is to say, cook on low for 5-6 hours…
When time is up, stir in the magical ingredient that will take your sauce from good, to great: 2 Tablespoons butter. Don’t leave it out!
Scoop over cooked pasta then dig in to this easy, comforting spaghetti supper!
I cannot praise crock pot meals enough. I usually add everything to the pot at night, then place it on the base and turn it on in the morning. Could not be easier!
Some crock pot meals can be heavy and gloopy, but Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce is right on the money. Give it a try sometime!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- salt and pepper
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes, optional
- 2 Tablespoons butter
Directions
- Season ground beef with salt and pepper then brown with onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain then add to a 6 quart crock pot.
- Add all the ingredients except for the butter, stir to combine, then cook on low for 5-6 hours. Remove bay leaves, stir in butter, then serve over cooked pasta.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
I might have to buy a crock pot now…
I’ve never made sauce in the crockpot. I usually take the easy way out and use jarred. I’m sure this is MUCH better and that garlic bread looks deeeelicious!
I can’t wait to make this! It looks so good!
I just made this last night (got it off Pinterest) and it’s amazing! I served mine over quinoa, my fiance had his inside of burrito shells, and it’d be a super easy dip with tortilla chips for Hawkeye tailgating :)
http://rita-may-recipes.blogspot.com/2011/11/crock-pot-cream-cheese-chicken-chile.html
I just posted a tomato sauce recipe today! Wish I had used a Crockpot, things wouldn’t have gotten so hot in the kitchen! :)
My 18 month old son just saw the spaghetti, stopped playing, & went “ooooooooo” guess I shld add it to next weeks meal plan!
I recently found your blog and I LOVE it! Great pictures, yummy recipes and best (worst!) of all I am also married to an onion hater. BOO! Thanks for the onion modifications – my husband appreciates it.
I am so ready to bust out the crock pot! Confession: I have only ever used store-bought sauce with spaghetti. Sad, I know. This is going to change that!
totally relate to being forced to drink warm milk at the end of dinner as a kid! I swear I didn’t even like the stuff until I got to college and realized how delicious it was cold.
Good crock pot recipes are hard to find but this one looks like an exception. And you also gave us a bonus with the OMG bread. Looks totally delicious!
This looks amazing!! I don’t eat meat – surely this would be okay to make the same way sans meat, right?
Also – love seeing the Hy-Vee items in your blog. ;)
This looks awesome Kristin! I usually am gone at least 8 hours a day though, sometimes 9. Is that too long to cook it? This is always my problem with crock pot recipes!
It might burn, but what you could do is double the recipe which I know would be fine if left on low for 8 hours!
I made this yesterday, except I “quad”ed the recipe (is that a word?) Anyhow, 4x. I was trying to use up a HUGE can of crushed tomatoes. I only cooked it on low for 5 hours and the new crockpot started browning a little on the bottom and my old crockpot did not. So each crock had a double sized recipe in it. Darn those new hotter crockpots!
– Wondering, is using margarine OK for the sauce too? I didn’t know if true “butter” was needed. I will be adding that when I reheat the sauce (which is in the freezer now).
YUMMMMM!!!